Intel puts Sandy Bridge parts out to pasture

Intel has officially put a wide swathe of Sandy Bridge parts on death row, along with - for some reason - a single Ivy Bridge chip.

Intel has officially discontinued the bulk of its 32nm Sandy Bridge desktop processors as it looks to move its customers to the newer Ivy Bridge platform.

In a Product Change Notification to its customers and partners, Intel warned that it would be ceasing bulk production on a range of Sandy Bridge desktop processors, comprising the Core i5-2310, i5-2320, i5-2400S, i5-2405S, i5-2500, i5-2500K, i5-2500S, i5-2500T, i7-2600K, i7-2600S, and i7-2700K in both boxed retail and tray original equipment manufacturer (OEM) guises.

Ending volume production means that supplies of the chips will slowly disappear, although tray processors will still be shipping to customers that have placed orders until September next year. Boxed retail units, meanwhile, will be available 'while supplies last' according to Intel's official key milestone forecast. All models will continue to be purchasable until the end of March 2013 as Intel works to deplete inventory.

According to Intel, the reason for the change is a shift in customer requirements. 'Market demand for the products listed [...] have shifted to other Intel products. The products identified in this notification will be discontinued and unavailable for additional orders after the Last Product Discontinuance Order Date.'

Those distributors who desperately need the Sandy Bridge parts are being offered tray processors in place of the boxed models, although Intel is clearly hoping that by the time it has shipped its last boxed model retailers will have made the move to selling Ivy Bridge parts exclusively.

While it's obvious to see why Intel is discontinuing production of its last-generation 32nm Sandy Bridge parts, the company has also issued a second Product Change Notification this week for the Core i5-3450 - a 22nm Ivy Bridge part released last quarter. The reason for the 3.1GHz part's short lifespan is not declared, beyond the same woolly claim that market demand has shifted to other, unidentified parts.

Share This News Story

21 Comments

I'd say they probably discontinued the 3450 on the fact that it's not necessarily needed. Judging by the SKUs the 3450 sits right by the 3470 but is hardly any cheaper and the new 3350 basically is the same chip bar a small decrease in turbo frequency. I guess you could say they're just cutting back on the SKU confusion although to me it's still a tad baffling to see that many SKUs of the same damn chip.

Still not moving to Ivy Bridge due to the heat issues, and the fact I am happy with my 2700k but if that was to fall over I would just replace it with another sandy bridge based chip, or save the extra cash up and go sandy bridge e.

Sandy bridge was always going to be discontinued and I thought it would have been sooner than now though.

just because a chip does not support something on a box does not mean it wont work. Ivy bridge happily accepts 1.35v on memory if you can find the relivent chips. Officially remember the intel cpus do not support ram above 1600mhz that does not stop us running 2100 + in them.

Originally Posted by rollojust because a chip does not support something on a box does not mean it wont work. Ivy bridge happily accepts 1.35v on memory if you can find the relivent chips. Officially remember the intel cpus do not support ram above 1600mhz that does not stop us running 2100 + in them.

Just want to be sure, because some say "yes it works", others say "yes it works, but @1.5V" while the last ones say "no it doesn't".

I sent an email to Intel to have a fix and 100% safe answer. I'm building a low power ITX professionnal rig and don't want to buy 1.35V ram to have it running @ 1.5V.

Core i5-3450 discontinued i think cos there is some problem or patent issue with it and rather than have a recall stop selling it. i think cover-up. for microsoft, i dont think thats a wild theory at all.

Originally Posted by GriffterCore i5-3450 discontinued i think cos there is some problem or patent issue with it and rather than have a recall stop selling it. i think cover-up. for microsoft, i dont think thats a wild theory at all.

What does Microsoft has to do with this topic ? Problem ? Patent issue ?

The only issue i5-3450 has that it has the same price as i5-3470, which is 100Mhz higher, so it is not selling well. Also, if you would have bothered reading the article, you would have noticed the "All models will continue to be purchasable until the end of March 2013" line.

I've just built my wife a new machine with the 3330 on a Z77 board and it's running fine at 1600mhz 1T at 1.35v.

On topic, I am surprised it's taken so long for this announcement. I think it more to do with them having had very large stocks of them, rather than they have just stopped making them. I would be amazed to think that they have still be making them when ivy bridge has been around for so long.

Originally Posted by GriffterCore i5-3450 discontinued i think cos there is some problem or patent issue with it and rather than have a recall stop selling it. i think cover-up. for microsoft, i dont think thats a wild theory at all.

"some problem or patent issue"; "cover-up"; "microsoft"? This sounds like crazy person speak from someone living in a basement full of canned goods and wearing a tinfoil hat, but thanks for taking part. If you know of a specific flaw in the CPU, or a specific legal issue with it, please enlighten us.

Originally Posted by EltonI'd say they probably discontinued the 3450 on the fact that it's not necessarily needed. Judging by the SKUs the 3450 sits right by the 3470 but is hardly any cheaper and the new 3350 basically is the same chip bar a small decrease in turbo frequency. I guess you could say they're just cutting back on the SKU confusion although to me it's still a tad baffling to see that many SKUs of the same damn chip.

This is likely right - they've realised they have fragmented too far, and will speed bin the chips destined to end up as 3450s between 3470 for the chips capable of reliably handling the fastest speeds and 3350 for the less capable ones.

Originally Posted by GriffterCore i5-3450 discontinued i think cos there is some problem or patent issue with it and rather than have a recall stop selling it. i think cover-up. for microsoft, i dont think thats a wild theory at all.

Dude, can you recommend a good source for tinfoil? The cheap stuff from the grocery store makes terrible hats.

On topic, I've been wondering lately why I still see so many computer ads for boxes with SB processors. I assumed they had been discontinued a while ago and it was just the OEMs selling through existing stock. Or that Intel dumped a load of them cheap and Dell and the like snapped them up to shove them in lower-end machines.

Originally Posted by PlatinumMy 370k runs quite happily with my 1.35v memory, set it in the bios and no issues?

Quote:

Originally Posted by rollojust because a chip does not support something on a box does not mean it wont work. Ivy bridge happily accepts 1.35v on memory if you can find the relivent chips. Officially remember the intel cpus do not support ram above 1600mhz that does not stop us running 2100 + in them.

Quote:

Originally Posted by azazel1024I am happily running 1.25v memory with my 3570 and it is running at 1.25v and the spec'd 1600mhz and 9-9-9-25 timing.

The processor/memory controller has no issue running lower voltage memory.

Heck my laptop with an i3517u is running its memory at 1.28v (it is 1.35v memory, but for some reason the BIOS is volting it even lower, and it is running just fine also at 1600mhz and 9-9-9-27).

Finaly got an answer from Intel

Quote:

Even though the memory controller is part of the Ivy bridge CPU's, you will not be able to find any information on what kind of memory is supported.

Memory compatibility and information on what kind of memory is supported on a system should always and only be compared agains the mother board.

So it depends on the mobo .... will play on the safe side and buy 1.5V memory module.

Log in

You are not logged in, please login with your forum account below. If you don't already have an account please register to start contributing.